Ranked as a top 50 university in the Guardian University Guide 2024, we are proud of our long-established commitment to widening participation, world-leading research, and collaborations with public and private sectors. Our focus is on providing quality student experiences, resulting in graduates who shape tomorrow’s societies and economies.

Among our achievements, Sunderland is internationally recognized, receiving five stars for teaching, inclusiveness, employability, and facilities in the QS World University Rankings 2023.  The University is one of the UK’s leading widening participation universities and was named The Times/Sunday Times University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2021. We were also shortlisted as University of the Year by THE – Times Higher Education, and our We Care programme won the Widening Access Initiative (Retention and Progression) Award at the 2020 NEON awards. Our We Care Team won the prestigious Social Mobility Project Award at the 2022 Inclusive Awards.

Our Strategic Plan 2020-25 sets out our “Life-Changing” mission, through transformative experiences for our students, career-focused and professions-facing teaching, and the positive difference we aim to make to society.